MAKRUHS OF NAMAZ (salath)

Most of the following information has been translated from
Durr-ul-mukhtar, and from its explanation Radd-ul-mukhtar.
The makruhs of namaz are of two kinds. When used alone, the word
makruh means Tahrimi makruh, which is a prohibition that has
beendetermined by dalil (proof) or deduction (zann). Something for
whose prohibition there is no proof or witness butwhich it is good not
to do is called Tanzihi makruh. It is (Tahrimi) makruh not to do the
wajibs [and the muakkadsunnats] and (tanzihi) makruh not to do the
[sunnats that are not muakkad] in namaz. Tanzihi makruh is closer to
halal and Tahrimi makruh is closer to haram. Though the namaz
performed with makruhs is sahih, it will not be accepted (maqbul),
that is, one willnot receive the blessings promised. Below are the
forty-four makruhs of namaz:
1 – It is makruh to drape your coat over your shoulders instead of
putting it on. It is not makruh to leave the frontof your coat open or
shut.
2 – When prostrating for the sajda, it is makruh to pull up your
skirts or your trouser cuffs.
3 – It is makruh to begin namaz with your skirts orsleeves rolled up.
If you made an ablution in a hurry in order to catch the imam and as a
result left them rolled up, you should unroll them slowlyduring namaz.
Likewise, if a person's headgear falls off as he performs namaz, he
had better putit back on his head. [Therefore, it is makruh to begin
namaz with short sleeves that only godown to the elbows, witha
flannel, or with short trousers that are just below the knees. It is
wrong to say: "It is makruh to perform namaz with a shirt with long
sleeves that are rolled up, but it is not makruh with a short sleeved
shirt." Every fiqh book refers to: "rolled-upskirts and sleeves." A
skirtis not rolled up. But it is lifted up so as to uncover the legs.
The book Nimat-i Islam says concerning the eleventh of the makruhs of
namaz: "It is makruh for a man to begin namaz with bare arms." Also,
it is written on the two hundred and sixty-eighth page of the book
Marifatnama that it is makruh to perform namaz with bare arms].
Sleeves that are above the elbows are even worse. If a person rolls up
his trousers or sleeves during namaz, his namaz becomes nullified.
4 – Useless movements, such as playing with yourclothes, are makruh.
But useful movements do notbring harm upon your namaz, e.g. wiping the
sweat off your forehead with your hand. When your trousers or loose
robe stick on your skin, itis not makruh to pull them away from your
skin lest the shape of your awrat parts are seen. It is makruh to
shake off dust. There is a hadith prohibiting useless movements in
namaz and laughing loudly in a cemetery. It is not useless to scratch
yourself during namaz, but raising your hand three times within one
rukn nullifies your namaz.
5 – It is makruh to perform namaz by wearing clothes that you work in
or that you couldnot wear if you were to see your superiors. Yet it is
not makruh if you haveno other clothes. [If you have enough money you
should buy extra clothes.]It is not makruh to perform namaz by wearing
pajamas or any other clothing that you wear when going to bed.
6 – It is makruh to have something in your mouththat will prevent you
from reciting the Qur'an al-karim correctly. If it prevents you from
pronouncing the Qur'an correctly your namaz becomes nullified.
7 – To perform namaz bare-headed. If a person does not cover his head
because he slights the importance of covering his head in namaz, it is
makruh. But if he ignoresit because he means to slight namaz itself,
he becomes a disbeliever. Kasal (indolence) means not to do something
because one does not want to do it. But inability means not to do
something because one cannot do it though one wants to do it. If one's
headgear falls, it is recommendable to put it back on one's head with
a single action. There is no harm in performing namaz bare-headed in
order to show your humbleness, yet you still had better cover your
head. It is also makruh to uncover your head seeking comfort and
relief from heat. [You cancover your head with a headgear of any color
when performing namaz.Books of din do not contain any statements
concerning black headgear being worn by Jews in synagogues. It is
sunnat to wear a black headgear. See chapter 8!]
[Rasulullah and the Sahaba performed namaz with their blessed na'ls
[pattens] on. Na'ls are shoes with leather soles. It is written in the
book Targhibussalat: "It has been said by savants that a person
sitting in namaz barefooted, without socks on, should use his right
hand to cover the sole of his foot. For it is bad manners to show your
soles to other believers at any time. In namaz it is even more
distasteful. According to some other savants, one must not cover one's
bare foot with one's hand during namaz. For it is sunnat to put one's
hands on one's thighs when sitting in namaz. And the person sitting
behind you, in turn, should look down at his own lap in adherence to
the sunnat. When both individuals sit in accordance with the sunnat no
bad manners will occur." As it can be seen, even according to those
savants who say that one should not coverone's foot with one's hand
when sitting, beingbarefooted is repugnant. Since it is makruh to
takeone's hands away from one's thighs while sitting,one should not
commit a second makruh in order to make up for the makruh of being
bare-footed. Savants have said that if the person behind you looks at
his lap, in regards to him you will become secure against annoying the
person sitting behindyou. As written in Halabi kabir, it is makruh not
to keep the hands in the position of the sunnat when standing, in the
ruku, in the sajdas, and when sitting. And it is for this reason that
it is written: "It is makruh to omit a wajib or a sunnat. Therefore it
is makruh for men to cover their bare feet with their handwhile in the
sajda," in thebeginning of the makruhs of namaz in the book
Maraqilfalah and at the end of the makruhs in Halabi. The book
Bahjatulfatawa, which supports its every fatwa with proofs from books
of fiqh, has been unable to show any proof for this wrong fatwa and
hasleft the space for a proof blank. Ibni Abidin says at the end of
the makruhs of namaz: "It is better to perform namaz with na'lsor
mests than to be bare-footed. Furthermore, you will have disagreed
with Jews. A hadith ash-Sharif declares: 'Perform namaz with na'ls on
lest you be like Jews.' Rasulullah and the Sahaba would perform namaz
with na'lswhich they wore outdoors. Their na'ls were clean, and the
floor of Masjid an-Nabi was covered with sand. They would not enter
the Masjid with dirty na'ls." When your shoes are smeared with
najasat, you must not enter a mosque with them on. You can carry out
the sunnat by wearing socks. And a person whose socks are najs or who
does not have any socks to wear should perform namaz with a loose robe
that hangs down to his heels. Also, it is written inthe books Halabi,
Bariqa and Hadiqa that there are numerous blessings in the namaz that
is performed with covered feet.
It is not permissible to perform namaz with barehead and feet, to make
the sajda on a higher place, or to force those who are under your
command to perform namaz in this manner by saying, "Non-Muslims pray
with bare head and feet in churches. As they do, we must pray in a
civilized manner." It is makruh to be like disbelievers during
worships. And he who disapproves of the manners ordered by Islam
becomes a disbeliever.]
8 – It is makruh to begin namaz when you need tourinate, defecate, or
when you need to break wind. If the need happens during namaz, you
must break the namaz. If you do not, youwill become sinful. It is
better to break the namaz even if it will cause you to miss the
jamaat. Rather than performing namaz in a manner that is makruh, itis
better to miss the jamaat, which is sunnat. But it is not makruh (not
to break the namaz) lest the prayer time will expire or lest you will
miss the namaz of janaza.
9 – It is makruh for men to begin namaz with their hair tied in a knot
on the back of their neck,wound round their head,or gathered on the
top oftheir head and fastened with thread. If a man does so during
namaz, his namaz becomes nullified. Namaz is performed bareheaded when
you are in the ihram in Mecca.
10 – During namaz, it is makruh to sweep stones or soil away from the
place of sajda. If such things are giving you trouble making the
sajda,it is permissible to get ridof them with one movement. However,
youshould clean them away before namaz.
11 – When joining a line of worshippers in order to perform namaz in a
mosque, when beginningnamaz, or during namaz, it is makruh to crack
yourfingers by bending them or to insert the fingers of both hands
between each other. If it is necessary, it is not makruh to crack your
fingers before getting ready for namaz.
12 – It is makruh to put your hand on your flank during namaz.
13 – It is makruh to turn your head (face) around and tanzihi makruh
to look around by turning your eyes. If you turn your chest away from
theqibla, your namaz becomes nullified.
14 – In the tashahhuds (sitting and reciting certain prayers during
namaz), to sit like a dog, that is, to sit on your buttocks with
erected thighs while bringing your knees in touch with your chest and
putting your hands on the floor, is makruh.
15 – In the sajda it is makruh for men to lay their forearms on the
floor. But women must lay their forearms on the floor.
16 – It is makruh to perform namaz toward a person's face. It is
makruh even if the person is far away from you. It is not makruh if
there is someone in between whose back is turned towards you.
17 – It is makruh to acknowledge someone's greeting with your hand or
head. It is not makruh to answer someone's question with your hand or
head. An example of this is when someone asks you how many rakats you
have performed, to answer using your fingers. But if you change your
place ormove to the line in front immediately upon someone's demand,
your namaz becomes nullified.[See the eleventh of the Mufsids of
namaz!]
18 – It is stated in Targhib-us-salat that it is makruh to yawn
outside of namaz as well as during namaz. The lower lip must be
squeezed between the teeth. If youcannot help it, you should cover
your mouth with the outer part of your right hand when standing in
namaz and with your left hand in theother rukns or when not performing
namaz. Unnecessary yawning is caused by Satan. Prophets
(alaihimussalam) did not yawn.
19 – It is tanzihi makruh to close your eyes during namaz. It is not
makruh ifyou do it lest your mind will be distracted.
20 – It is makruh for the imam to stand in the mihrab. The hollowed
out part in the wall of theqibla is called the mihrab.When his feet
are outsideof the mihrab, it is not makruh for him to make the sajda
in the mihrab. Aperson is considered to be located in the place where
his feet are. The reason for this is becausepriests conduct public
worships by staying alone in an isolated room. In a mosque, if the
imam of the first jamaat does not conduct the namaz by standing on the
mihrab, it is makruh.
21 – It is tanzihi makruh for the imam to begin namaz alone at a place
half a meter higher than the floor where the jamaat are. This
prohibition is intended to eliminate the possibility of an imam
resembling priests.
22 – Also it is makruh for an imam to begin namaz alone at a lower place.
23 – It is makruh to perform namaz in the back line while there is
room in the front line or to perform it alone in theback line because
there isno room in the front line.When there is no room inthe front
line, you wait for a probable newcomeruntil the ruku' instead of
performing it alone. If noone comes you make your way gently into the
front line. If you cannot go into the front line youget someone you
trust in the front line to move back to the rear line withyou. If
there is no one you can trust, then perform it alone.
24 – It is tahrimi makruh to perform namaz with clothes that have a
picture or pictures of living things on them, such as humans or
animals. It is not makruh if there are pictures of lifeless things on
them. Whether for reverence orfor execration, whether small or big, it
is haram to draw or paint pictures or make statues of living things.
See the sixtieth and eighty- fifth letters inthe book Makatib-i
Sharifa! Translation of the eighty-fifth letter exists in our book.
[It is explained detailedly within the subject concerning the
afflictionsincurred by hands in the book Hadiqa: "No matter if you put
it on, it is always makruh to put any clothes with a picture of a
living creature. Having any pictures on you is permissible if
covered." Itis understood from this information as well as from the
two hundred and thirty-eighth page ofthe fifth volume of Ibni Abidin
that it is permissible to have your picture taken for identitypapers,
documents, essential deeds, and other necessities by keeping them
covered. A hadith on the twenty-sixth page of Zawajir declares: "When
you find pictures tear them, destroy them!" However, if doing so
causes fitna orhostility, you should not do it. None of the Prophets,
the Sahaba, or the great men of din had a photograph. Those
abominable, ugly pictures that are shown in newspapers and in
themovies in an effort to portray them are all false.They are made in
order to earn money and to deceive Muslims. Along with the fact that
it is haram also to hang such blessed pictures high on walls, it is
haram to put them at low places. Since it is haram to draw pictures of
living things anywhere, whether with bare awrat parts or with covered
awrat parts, whether small or big, likewise, the money charged for
them is also haram. This has been established as a haram inorder to
prevent idolatry.It is written in the explanatory book Imdat by
Tahtawi that when you are not performing namaz also it is makruh to
wear clothes with pictures of living things on them.
Sayyid Abdulhakim-i Arwasi (Quddisa sirruh) says in one of his
letters:"It is permissible to use things such as handkerchiefs and
coins that have pictures of living things drawn on them. For such
things are despicable, contemptible;they are not honored." This fact
is written also inthe third volume of
Al-fiqh-u-alal-Madhahib-il-arba'a. Hadrat Ibni Hajar-i Haitami Makki
(rahmatullahi 'alaih) says in his fatwa:
"Existence of pictures of living things on such articles as
handkerchiefs and coins is not harmful. For it is not permissible to
use pictures of living things on respected articles, but it is
permissible to use them on disrespected things." Then, it is
permissible to have them on the floor, on things laid on the floor, on
cushions, mats, handkerchiefs, bills, stamps, in closed places, such
as pockets, bags, closets, on those parts of one's clothes that are
below one's navel, but it is haram to keep them or to hang them above
the navel. It is haram to use pictures of women or pictures with
exposed awrat parts even withoutlust at any place or to look at them
lustfully.
It is written on the six hundred and thirty-third page of the second
volume of Hadiqa: "It is tahrimi makruh to put or lay on the floor any
pieceof paper or cloth or prayer rug that has some writing or even one
letter on it. For it is insulting to use them for any purpose
whatsoever or to lay them on the floor. And it is disbelief tolay or
use them in order to insult them. It has been said that it is
permissible to write themon walls or to hang pieces of writing on
walls." Hence, it is understood that it is not permissible to lay
prayer rugs with pieces of writings or pictures of the Kaba or mosques
on them on the floor in order to pray on them. Nonetheless, it is
permissible to hang themon walls for decoration.
As it is seen, Islam has prohibited pictures and statues of human
beings that serve as instruments to ridicule human beings,that are
used for worshipping living things, and which drift youngsters towards
fornication and seduction of married people. However, Islam permits
pictures of the anatomical parts of livingthings, of plants, and all
kinds of pictures pertaining to physics, chemistry, astronomy and
engineering. It has commanded drawing and utilization of pictures that
are necessary for knowledge and science. Islam, as always, has
classified pictures into two groups:useful and harmful and has
commanded use of the useful ones while prohibiting the harmful ones.
Then, it is a blind claim and a slander for the enemies of the
religion to say, "Muslims say that pictures are prohibited, which is
retrogression."]
25 – If the picture of a living thing is drawn on the wall or on
pieces of cloth or paper hanging or put on a wall just above the head,
in front, or just to the right or left of a person who is performing
namaz, it is makruh. Even if not in a living form, a picture of the
cross is like the picture of a living thing. For it means to be like
Christians. It is makruh to imitate their evil practices, even if not
in order to be like them, or to imitate their unharmful habits with
the intention of resembling them. [In fact,it is written in the books
Targhib-us-salat and Nisab-ul-ahbar that it is makruh to perform namaz
at such places as well as places where people are drinking alcohol,
gambling or playing musical instruments, and prayers said at these
places will not be accepted. Apparatuses through which musical
instruments are heard and pictures that are haram to look at are
watched are like musical instruments.] If the picture of a living or
lifeless thing is on something upon which a person is standing,
sitting or leaning, his namaz does not become makruh. If the picture
is on the walls behind the person performing namaz or on the ceiling
itis khafif (light) makruh.
It is not makruh to perform namaz on prayerrugs or mats possessing
pictures of living things on the parts other than where prostration is
made, since laying them on the floor means belittling them (Durar).
[Accordingly, it is not permissible to lay the carpets with pictures
of the Kaba, mosques or pieces of holy writing on the ground.]
If the picture is under thefoot of the person performing namaz, on the
place where he is sitting, on his body or in his hand, it is makruh.
[Hence it is understood that pictures in one's pocket do not make
one's namaz makruh.] But a picture hanging on one's wrist is makruh.
Forit prevents one from placing one's hands as prescribed by the
sunnat.If the picture on a coin orring or on any part of a person is
extremely small,that is, if when it is put on the floor, the person
standing cannot make out its limbs, his namaz does not become makruh.
When covered, it is not makruh if it is big, either. If the head of
the living thing has been cut off, or if its face, chestor belly has
been erased or covered with something, the namaz does not become
makruh.
With pictures of lifeless things, such as trees or sceneries, no
matter where they are, namaz does not become makruh. For small or
headless pictures or pictures of lifeless things have never been
worshipped. There were those who worshipped the sun, the moon, the
stars, green trees, but they worshipped those things themselves. They
did not worship their pictures. It is also makruhto perform namaz
towards these things.
Angels of compassion do not enter a house where there is a big picture
of a living thing placed at a respected place, a dog, ora person who
is junub. But the angles of haphaza leave a person only during sexual
intercourse and when he goes into the restroom. The two angels called
Kiraman katibin, who areon a person's shoulders and who write down his
good and bad deeds, andthose angels who protecta person against genies
are called Angels of Haphaza. Allahu ta'ala informs the angels of what
a person does in the restroom, and the angels write down his actions
when he comes out of the restroom. The angels do not write on anything
or in letters. As we gather information inour mind and memory, sothey
gather a person's actions at some place. Today there are various ways
of writing, such as the recording of voices on an apparatus that we
call a tape recorder or onsound films. In the heavens there are angels
writing with pens (tools) that are unknown to us. For disbelievers,
only their evil deeds are written down. There are genies who pester
everyone while angels protect us against them.
It is permissible according to Imam-i Abu Yusuf to buy dolls for
children to play with.
26 – It is tanzihi makruh to count ayats, or tasbihs with the hand
during namaz. It is permissible to count them through the heart or by
moving the fingers. Outside of namaz it is permissible tocount them
with fingers or to use beads. Once Rasulullah saw a woman counting the
tasbihs withseeds and did not forbid her. It is makruh to use beads
for ostentation.
It does not nullify namaz, nor is it makruh, to kill a serpent or a
scorpion that is approaching you and may sting you. It is mustahab to
kill it with your left shoe. A white snake that crawls straightwithout
curling is a genie. You must not kill him if he does not harm you. But
it is permissible to kill him, too. For genies promised Rasulullah
(sall- Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam) that they would not enter Muslims'
homes. Entering a home, they have gone back on their word. First you
should warn him by saying "Irji' bi-iznillah." Then, if he will not go
away, you should kill him. But you cannot warn him if you are
performing namaz. Not killing a genie disguised as a snake immediately
isnot intended to respect them but, to prevent their harm.
27 – It is not makruh to perform namaz against the backs of sitting or
standing people, even if they are talking. It is makruh to perform it
against a person's face oragainst the backs of people who are talking
loudly.
28 – It is not makruh to perform namaz against the Qur'an, a sword, a
candle, a candle- lamp, any lamp, flames, against instruments of war
such as pistols, or against a person who is lying asleep. For those
have never been worshipped. Magians worship fire, notflames. But it is
makruh to perform it against a fire with flames, too.
29 – It is tahrimi makruh to perform namaz by wrapping yourself in a
towel from head to foot.
30 – It is tahrimi makruh to perform namaz with the top of your head
bare by winding a turbanround your head.
31 – It is tahrimi makruh to perform namaz by covering your mouth
andnose. Magians worship inthat manner. [You must not perform namaz
with a mask, gloves, or spectacles that prevent your forehead from
touching the floor. Unlessthere is a darurat you must not perform
namaz with anything that prevents your forehead, nose or hands from
touching the floor, that is, from doing any fard orsunnat. There is no
necessity for wearing such things during namaz, even for women].
32 – It is makruh to throw phlegm from the throat without a strong
necessity. If blood formed in the mouth is not a mouthful, neither its
formation nor swallowing nullifies your ablution or namaz. So is the
case with vomiting. [Halabi al-Kabir and Hindiyya].
33 – Amal-i qalil, that is, moving one hand once or twice, is makruh.
[See the fifteenth of things that nullify namaz!] It is permissible to
kill a louse of flea with amal-i qalil, but it is makruh to catch or
kill it if it is not biting you. It is haram to leave such insects in
the mosque whether they are alive or dead.
34 – It is makruh to omit one of the sunnats of namaz. There are two
groups of sunnat. The first group is Sunan-i huda. They are the
muakkad [strong] sunnats. The second group is Sunan-i zawaid. They are
the sunnats thatare not muakkad. The mustahabs and the mandubs are in
this category, according to the savants.
It is tahrimi makruh to omit a muakkad sunnat in namaz. It is tanzihi
makruh to omit a sunnat that is not muakkad. It is not makruh but
khilaf-i awla to omit a mustahab.That is, it is a blessing to do the
mustahabs, and no sin is incurred for not doing them, but in that case
you will be deprivedof their blessings.
35 – Without a darurat, it is makruh to begin namaz with your child in
your arms. It is not makruh if there is a darurat to do so, provided
the child's clothes are clean.
36 – It is makruh to perform namaz against things that distract your
heart and prevent your khushu' such as ornamented things, plays,
musical instruments, or any food that you desire. It is makruh to
perform namaz by leaving your shoes behind you. This last makruh is
written on the one hundred and eighty-sixth page within the subject of
Hajj in the book Durr-ul-mukhtar, at the end of Halabi-yi kabir, and
in Bazaziyya. Itis also written in detail within the subject of
suspicion in taharat at the end of the books Bariqa and Hadiqa.
37 – It is makruh to lean on a wall or mast when performing the fard
namaz if there is no strong necessity to do so. It is not makruh to do
so while performing the supererogatory namaz.
38 – It is makruh to lift your hands up to your ears when bowing for
the ruku' or when straightening up from the ruku'.
39 – It is makruh to complete the qiraat after bowing for the ruku'.
40 – In the sajdas or in the ruku', it is makruh to put your head down
or to raise your head beforethe imam does so.
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